Relief for San Felipe?
There are also reports that San Felipe Village and Blue Creek will see some relief. The two villages have been on lockdown since July tenth, after a cluster of COVID-19 cases was detected in Blue Creek Village. Residents of San Felipe point out that many factors were not considered when they were placed on lockdown. Stores are running out of food, potable water is scarce, and residents are not able to go to the banks to withdraw monies to pay bills. Statutory Instrument number one hundred allows the government to place the two villages on lockdown for a month, but according to Director of Health Services, Doctor Marvin Manzanero, there will be a decision made concerning the S.O.E. in those two villages.
Marvin Manzanero
Dr. Marvin Manzanero, Director of Health Services
“Nobody is ill but one, that was locked down because we had an active contact tracing happening. We did managed to screen all the persons in the area and I understand that there is going to be decision made in terms of the state of emergency for those two villages.”
Pablo Marin
Pablo Marin, Minister of Health
“I think definitely it will come in a while, discussions have been put in place, but we just need to hold. I think this is the right time for people to be aware that if you are border jumping we will have to lock your community and then that is the only way for use to be able to safe guard the rest of the Belizean people.”
Hipolito Novelo
“So is it that Cabinet discussed lifting the S.O.E. for San Felipe?”
Pablo Marin
“I can’t discuss whatever we talk in Cabinet. Whatever decision will be done will be done by the Prime Minister. He will say it in time.”
Hipolito Novelo
“The villagers are saying that many factors were not considered when that S.O.E. was implemented in San Felipe because they can’t come out, they can’t withdraw monies from their accounts, the store is running out of food items and water is depleting as well.”
Pablo Marin
“Yes, heard about that and I think we have to take that into consideration but also as Belizeans in while we need to protect them. So whenever we see cases going up in one community we need to be aware of that and take the necessary precautions for our people”
